Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) announced today that a former senior correctional police officer at Northern State Prison admitted to accepting payments in exchange for smuggling contraband into the facility. He was terminated from his position in July 2025.
Christopher Santana, 33, of Hackensack, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree conspiracy to commit bribery during a hearing on August 18, 2026, before Judge Michael Ravin, presiding in state Superior Court in Essex County.
Under the terms of a plea agreement with OPIA, prosecutors will recommend the court sentence the defendant to three years in New Jersey state prison. As a result of his guilty plea, the defendant also forfeited $4,500 in alleged bribe payments as well as any public employment, and he will be permanently barred from holding any public office or public employment in New Jersey. Sentencing is scheduled for October 5, 2026.
The case arose from an investigation by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau and the Special Investigations Division (SID) of the New Jersey Department of Corrections (DOC).
“It is a serious breach of public trust when anyone responsible for upholding the law and maintaining order betrays his duties for personal gain,” said Attorney General Davenport. “Corrupt actions like these make correctional facilities less safe and secure for inmates and officials alike, and undermine public trust in government.”
“Accepting bribes and smuggling contraband undermines the work of the thousands of correctional professionals who serve with integrity every day and directly jeopardizes the safety of staff and incarcerated persons,” said DOC Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn. “The Department will continue to aggressively work with law enforcement to investigate misconduct and hold accountable anyone who compromises the security of our institutions.”
As alleged in publicly filed documents in this case:
On the evening of June 10, 2025, Santana arrived for his scheduled shift at the prison. At that time, law enforcement observed a large bulge protruding from the chest area of his clothing. A search of Santana revealed he had two vacuum-sealed bags containing tobacco and three bottles of an unknown liquid concealed underneath his protective vest as well as near his upper thigh area.
The ensuing investigation revealed that between approximately May 2024 and June 2025, the defendant received thousands of dollars in bribes from associates of inmates incarcerated at Northern State Prison, in exchange for smuggling contraband into the facility. In addition to cash, Santana also received payments via a personal mobile digital payment app in exchange for his introduction of contraband into the facility.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Samantha Eaton for the Corruption Bureau.
